Yahoo Finance Shaquille O'Neal Jokingly Shares Picture of How His 'New BBL Gone Look' After Hip Surgery
The NBA on TNT host underwent hip surgery on March 16
Shaquille O'Neal's humor is still in fine form as he recovers from hip surgery.
In a hilarious photo shared on Thursday, O'Neal posed with a large bronze statue, his hand on the figure's behind, joking, "this how my new #BBL gone look when I come back to work."
Since undergoing the operation on March 16, O'Neal, 51, has repeatedly joked that his hip surgery was actually a BBL — or Brazilian butt lift, which transfers fat from the hips, abdomen, lower back and thighs into the buttocks, according to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.
"No need to worry, just had to get some BBL WORK AKA #hipreplacement," he wrote on Twitter after posting a photo from a hospital bed, which sparked worry across social media from his nearly 16 million followers. "Thanks and love you all, but no need to worry and yes I'm fine."
The week after his surgery, the sports star told PEOPLE of his hopes of hitting the gym again and getting back on track with his weight loss journey.
"I just had to take a couple weeks off because I had to get this hip surgery, but I'm going to jump back on," he told PEOPLE the week after the operation. "So hopefully this summer, you'll see a couple billboards of me with my shirt off."
Opening up about his plan to stay in shape moving forward while also recovering from his surgery, O'Neal told PEOPLE, "I think it's a blessing in disguise because I can't move around a lot, but my gym is at the house. So I know I don't want to put on any pounds right now, so I gotta wake up every day, take my medicine and when I go to the gym and do my rehab, I'm going to get some weights and some cardio in."
O'Neal has already lost 40 lbs. since starting his weight loss journey and told PEOPLE he is 20 lbs. away from reaching his "ultimate" goal weight.
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For the NBA on TNT host, seeing the fitness of other athletes currently in the league has been a big motivator. "I call it PJM, Professional Jealousy Motivation," he said.
"The crazy thing is I have my own workout stuff, but when I see these guys looking all ripped on the Gram, I be like, 'Damn, I'm going to try that.' So to me, it's just all motivation."
Aside from losing 20 lbs., O'Neal is aiming for perhaps an even loftier goal. "I get a little jealous when I see these young guys on Instagram with their little six-packs and so my goal is to one day be able to do an underwear ad with my sons — 51 years old, just muscles everywhere."
Related:Shaquille O'Neal Reveals 40-Lb. Weight Loss, Says His Goal Is to Do 'Underwear Ad with My Sons'
In an attempt to get there, O'Neal is doing cardio at least three days a week and continuing his weight training. He's also seen progress after nailing down his diet.
"I have more energy. I feel really good. I get to do stuff that I haven't done. And it helps you discipline yourself much more," he said. "I eat about four or five times a day, but four of those meals used to be junk meals."
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